The bosses with minions were rarely done well in DS2 I agree. I think with the Gargoyles in DS2 though, it was fanservice - so they were expecting that many players will know the deal, or think they do, then go "Oh shit!" as more come to life! So even if you die the first time, you go back knowing what to expect and hopefully more prepared. I never expect to kill a boss first time, if I do great - but you don't know what gimmick they'll throw out to knock you off your game. After a death or three on the Gargoyles if you're still being chased by 4 of them scrambling to heal in between beatdowns, then you're just not playing smart enough!
I guess some points in the series like that are "dragon bridge moments" where your first run through is a little unfair unless you are being super-duper observant and cautious. But that's ok, learning from your deaths is what Souls is about. As long as you pick yourself up and think about a strategy - could be as simple as using a weapon buff, changing a ring or armour piece etc, then every death is a worthwhile learning experience.